I. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to paper piercing tools and, in particular, to a device for piercing a series of perforations the length of a sheet of paper.
II. Description of the Prior Art
Perforation of paper has long been known as a simple way of providing means for storing and removing a single sheet of paper from its binding without creating unsightly tears. In the past, perforations have been provided by the manufacturer of the sheet paper to permit storage and removal of each individual sheet without creating unsightly tears or requiring additional tools. However, these perforations were usually done in bulk quantities during the manufacturing process in order to permit storage of the paper in ring binders. For many years, no means were provided whereby an individual user could easily and efficiently create perforations suitable for storage of the paper.
There have, however, been previously known devices which allow an individual to create a series of punches in a sheet of paper. These devices range from the single-hole punch, which require repetitive strokes in order to create a series of punches, to the two-, three-, and five-hole punches, which are similarly limited in their use. In order to create a series of perforations along the length of a sheet of paper, the punch would have to be used several times along the length of the paper. Furthermore, when the device is removed and the paper re-punched, oftentimes an uneven series of holes is produced Moreover, many of these multipunch devices are strictly limited in the number of sheets and the paper size which may be utilized and the placement of the perforations.
Perforated paper has also been formed into books by binding the separate sheets of paper utilizing conventional materials. The most common method of binding books utilizes string or similar material threaded through the perforations to secure the center of the perforated sheets. However, the perforations were usually formed by the manufacturer utilizing complex machinery before binding the sheets of paper. Previously known devices are generally either incapable of efficiently perforating the center of a sheet of paper in order to permit binding or involve complex machinery which is unsuitable and uneconomical for individual users.